16. There’s Always Tragedy Happening, So Be Grateful
Rich worked as a fireman for many years after he graduated college. During the job, he learned that there was always a fire going on somewhere. No matter how peaceful or quiet it was, he realized there was always something amazing or tragic going on out there in the world. It changed him to see young, innocent people die.
He finally reasoned that God has a better plan for all of this, even if it seems tragic in the moment.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeTieQIjqf0/?hl=en&taken-by=richfroning
17. It’s Okay To Be An Introvert
While he competed during the Crossfit Games, he didn’t like crowds of people watching him because he thought it was uncomfortable watching him workout. It wasn’t enough for him to affect his performance, though.
After Rich won his second championship at the Games, they held a celebration party that night. He knew it would be packed to the brim with crowds of people because he was now the first male back-to-back winner. Those numbers turned him off.
He never liked crowds of people. He skipped the party and had a quiet dinner with his wife and a couple close friends.
Advice For Crossfit Beginners
18. Do This When Deciding Which Box
How do you decide which Crossfit box to go with? First, make sure it’s an affiliate. It’s worth the investment. Second, see what the coaches are doing during the workouts. If they’re on the floor, coaching the students, it’s a good box. If they’re on their phones checking their email or texting off the floor, it’s a bad box.
19. Make It Fun
No matter how tough the workout is, there is always some way to make it fun. One thing that Rich always saw no matter where he went was that Crossfitters were always happy.
20. Start At Your Level
Don’t compare yourself to what others are doing because they may have years of experience ahead of you. Just start wherever you are and go from there.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcTR9tMD8Cj/?hl=en&taken-by=richfroning
First: What It Takes To Win Book Review
Most of the book was more of a memoir than a “secrets to success.” Having said that, he did manage to squeeze in quite a few tips.
I was surprised how ordinary or anti-superstar he is. He doesn’t follow a workout routine. He doesn’t track calories. He goes by his gut. He eats until he feels full and drinks until he’s not thirsty.
He’s also an introvert (like me), and doesn’t enjoy crowds — even when competing. He also went into the whole thing thinking he didn’t belong, only to come in 2nd place in the whole world.
What’s also interesting is how cliche most of his advice is. But maybe that’s the beauty of it. There is no secret sauce you haven’t heard before. The trick is to just take the generic advice you’ve heard before and follow through. Maybe the problem is that people glaze over advice like this.
Having said that, I personally did pick up some tips I hadn’t heard before. It took some digging, but I found some gems. For me, it was his ideas and emphasis on the mental game and improving mental toughness.
Rich Froning, Josh Bridges and Dan Bailey – 10 Crossfit Workouts from The Good Dudes
Image Sources
- Rich-Froning: CrossFit Inc
- rich-and-dan: CrossFit Inc
- crossfit-ghd-sit-up-rich-froning: reebok crossfit velocity
- Rich-Froning: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc